Secrets Shared
by Saturdaychick
Summary: Previously, Erik and Nadir had tracked down the girl, Ginger, who lived with the Gypsies and had protected his adopted son, Raphael, during his time with them. In wanting to thank her, he made her an offer. Money that could change her life. Now, she deals with this secret kept from her husband.


**Secrets Shared**

Ginger, the red-haired young woman who had lived for years with the Gypsy Travelers and married a dynamic, handsome man, Wolf, who was now their leader, sat beside him at the fire brewing tea in a cast iron kettle.

"Wolf"… Ginger began. "Yes, my dear?" Wolf glanced at her as he sipped at his steaming mug of tea.  
Ginger was never afraid to speak her mind to her husband, and this was one thing he loved about her, among all the other things he was fond of. Still, she wasn't sure if what she had to say would anger him. He did have a temper though he never expressed it towards her. She'd seen him put one or two of the other men in their places for behaviors he couldn't condone. He wasn't a man to accept charity, either. He was a strong and capable man. He provided for his people and especially for his wife.

"Did you want to speak to me about something?" he now gave her his full attention, a questioning look on his face. In truth, he felt a cold fear in his heart that maybe Ginger was going to tell him she was finally leaving him. He had lived with that worry since the day he first saw her and fell in love with the orphan girl she once was. And now, this beautiful woman lived and ate and slept beside him. He didn't think he could live without the bright light she had brought to his life.

"I have some good news." Wolf breathed a sigh of relief. She wasn't going to leave him. Not yet, at any rate.  
"Yes? What is this good news?" he smiled at her warmly.

"Do you remember Raphael, the little boy that Eduardo had custody of and who he treated so cruelly?"

"The boy you protected from him. The one with the beautiful voice. The one who went missing the night Eduardo was murdered. Not that he didn't have that coming to him, you understand. I remember him well. I always wondered how those two incidents were connected. Eduardo's death and Rafe's disappearance."

Ginger leaned in from her seat next to Wolf beside the fire and took his hands. He held her gaze, intently.

"I know where Rafe is! I saw the man who rescued him years ago. I kept it secret because I never wanted that man to pay for saving the boy at the expense of a devil's life. We all know that living with Eduardo would have been the end for Rafe. There was only so much I could do. "

"That man should be thanked. We are all better off than we were with that miserable monster living amongst us." His eyes had a fire in them that blazed at the mention of Eduardo.

"Wolf! When we were performing the other evening, I saw that man. He spoke to me. He told me he and his wife had adopted Raphael…"

"Really? That is wonderful news, indeed. Knowing that Rafe is safe and cared for warms my heart. "

"That is not all. He and a friend, a Persian man, wanted to speak with me. I wasn't sure what they wanted… so I didn't tell you." Wolf froze. Blinking, he nodded for Ginger to continue. She knew she had hurt him by not confiding in him.

"I went to the address in Paris they gave me. This man, he wanted to reward me for caring for Rafe. I said anyone would have done what I had done. He said Rafe spoke of me. That he missed me and that he credits me with keeping him alive in those dark years."

"Ah. That is true, my petite fleur. He was always with you, unless Eduardo made him work and slave for him and pushed him to perform for money."

"Well, Wolf! He has set up a bank account for me! For us!" here she pulled the key on its silver chain from her blouse, where it had been disguised by the charms she also wore. "He has deposited so much money that we can do whatever we would like. What I have thought is to buy fabrics and have some of the other women, my friends, sew fashions to sell at the towns where we travel. We can afford to buy some provisions when we travel, as well. It will make life better for us all. And for our children." She beamed at Wolf who could only stare at her speechless. Part of him wanted to say that he would never accept handouts from the very people who looked down on them. He was conflicted. He didn't know this man. This man who was capable of murder for the sake of a child. He was also intrigued by him. Wait. What did Ginger say about children? He had never pushed her about that subject as he'd thought her barren. He worried that she was getting her hopes up for them to have a family. His heart ached for his beautiful wife, unaware that she had secretly been taking an herb that kept her from conceiving provided by the camp healer.

"This man, Erik, he is very unusual. He wears a mask. Well, a half mask. He wants us, you and me, to come to their residence in the town of Bon Chance. We know it. We have passed by it several times on our way to and from Paris. They want us to reunite with Rafael! I would so love to see him again, Wolf! It would mean so much to me. They asked for me to come and to bring you. They want to meet you. Will you come with me? I could not bear it if I have to go alone and not share this experience with you, mon cher loup !"

Wolf, his confidence momentarily shaken, was taken aback by Ginger's request, but at her endearment, her calling him her dear wolf, he felt himself melting. He could never deny her anything. And he must admit, he wanted to get a look at this mysterious masked man. This cold blooded killer who lived as a gentleman and one who could throw around large sums of money. This idea of taking money for kindness did not sit well with him. But Ginger was a wonderfully talented seamstress. He had feared it was a skill that would take her away from him. One she could earn her own living from. There was nothing for it but to agree and see what this journey together would bring.

"When do they want us to … to visit?" searching for the correct term for what they were facing.

"Tomorrow evening. After the last performances. We can take the horses. It will be an adventure!" she cried, delighted that the man she had only lately come to realize she could not live without, had consented to accompany her.

"We must heat enough water for bathing then. Tonight we will clean ourselves up good and proper. We want to make a good impression on our hosts and on Raphael after all this time."

"And I will make you a splendid new shirt for this occasion," she said as they rose from the fire and she threw her arms around Wolf's neck. Then, together, they turned and entered their caravan, where Ginger then displayed the fabric she had saved for making him a shirt and it was indeed splendid. After they had bathed and dressed, she sat beneath the lantern and worked while Wolf poured himself a goblet of wine and watched her. Something he never tired of doing.


End file.
